


waist deep and shivering;

by unintentionallyangsty



Series: drive the dark things away; [12]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies), Thor: Ragnarok (2017) - Fandom
Genre: (minor) - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Brodinsons, Brother Feels, Brotherly Angst, Brotherly Love, Brothers, Caretaking, Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Drowning, Dysfunctional Family, Gen, Hugs, Hurt, Hurt Loki (Marvel), Hurt/Comfort, Jealous Loki (Marvel), Loki Lives (Marvel), New Asgard, Panic Attacks, Post-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Protective Thor (Marvel), The Revengers - Freeform, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Whump, Whumptober, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:42:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27004510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unintentionallyangsty/pseuds/unintentionallyangsty
Summary: Loki falls into the Tønsberg Fjord in a freak accident, and everything is fine--Right up until it isn't.(Whumptober 2020 Prompt #13 Fill: Delayed Drowning).
Relationships: Bruce Banner & Loki, Bruce Banner & Thor, Brunnhilde | Valkyrie & Loki (Marvel), Loki & Thor, Loki & Thor (Marvel)
Series: drive the dark things away; [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949623
Comments: 8
Kudos: 150
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	waist deep and shivering;

**Author's Note:**

> Loki & Thor (|| the Valkyrie & Bruce & Loki). Takes place in New Asgard. Loki is alive and Infinity War has decidedly Not happened.
> 
> written for the Whumptober 2020 Prompt #13 Fill: Delayed Drowning. 

“There’s too many people in this boat.” Loki repeated for what felt like the millionth time since that morning. 

Not that any amount of repetition would have made even a sliver of difference to those crammed into the boat with him. 

And, true to form, the Valkyrie rolled her eyes dramatically almost as soon as the words had left his mouth. 

“There’s plenty of space.” she reminded, and stretched out both legs as if to prove the point, a small grin worming its way onto her face when her foot bumped into one of Loki’s knees. 

“Maybe for--Ow--” Loki made a show of shoving the Valkyrie’s legs out of his lap, and rolled his own eyes when she cackled merrily. “Maybe for someone half the size of the average Asgardian.” 

“Shut up.” Val offered another well aimed kick to his knee, though she was still smirking. “Just admit why you’re really upset and stop being grumpy.” 

From the other end of the boat (which was, in truth, not that far), Thor glanced up from where he was chatting casually with Banner, a small and casual smile on his face, to blink at where Val and Loki were perched. “Upset? Who’s upset?” 

“Nobody.” Loki cut in, before the Valkyrie could so much as open her mouth, and ignored the dirty glare he was shot in favor of continuing, “She’s just being stupid.” 

“My ass.” the Valkyrie grumbled, and shifted to drive her elbow painfully into his side. 

Thor took another moment to eye the both of them before he turned away with a small, bewildered huff, his gaze already returning to where Bruce was sat, pointing eagerly over the side of the boat at something just outside Loki’s line of vision. 

Which, Loki considered as he watched Thor laugh loudly at something Banner was saying, was really the heart of the issue, wasn’t it? 

When Thor had suggested that they take the small skiff out that morning (citing a need to “familiarize themselves with the village’s fishing equipment”), Loki had initially been reluctant. 

The boat itself was not large, after all, and, though they had survived months of space travel in rather close quarters, he didn’t particularly enjoy the idea of being crammed into a small space with the other three for a long period of time. 

Besides, space travel was one thing; almost comforting in its quiet familiarity. 

Travelling on the open water with little but the wooden bottom of their boat between them and the icy depths of Tønsberg Fjord, however? 

Another entirely. 

And he had made a point of saying as much, when Thor had inquired as to whether or not Loki was going to join them, only offering a derisive sniff when Thor’s face had fallen, somewhat, at the quick dismissal. 

“You’ll do just as well without me, I’m sure.” Loki had continued, when Thor had continued to pout morosely. 

And, surprisingly, Thor had left it there, nodding his acquiesce before leaving the house to prepare for the day. 

Loki had tried to tell himself that he was pleased at the development, of course. Thor was, for once, not nagging, and was furthermore allowing him to remain behind as he ventured off on another one of his ill-advised ideas of an adventure. 

It was somewhat inconvenient, then, that Loki could not seem to shake the vague feeling of _wrongness_ that had taken up residence between his lungs, the minute Thor had left the house. 

Realizing what had needed to be done (though he was reluctant to admit it aloud, even to himself), Loki had risen from his perch at the kitchen table with a weary sigh, and crossed the house to follow where Thor had recently exited--

Only to draw to a halt when, the minute he opened the front door, his gaze fell to where Thor was stood not a hundred feet from the doorstep, grinning and gesturing animatedly as he spoke with none other than Bruce Banner, who was holding himself in a manner that suggested that he had only been passing by, and Thor had all but sprinted in as an intervention to his morning plans. 

_Poor Thor,_ Loki had considered, folding his arms loosely over his chest and leaning against the doorframe as he watched the interaction with a small smile. 

Someday, the elder Odinson might actually take it upon himself to learn and understand when somebody wanted to be left alone. 

In the meantime, Loki had rather doubted that Banner would be interested in accompanying his brother on his little fishing venture. 

Which was, of course, when Banner had nodded enthusiastically, a small grin working its way onto his face as he offered a parting nod to Thor, before he hurried on into the heart of the village. 

Loki had watched, his mouth falling open into a slight gape, as Thor had turned on his heel, a luminous grin already lighting his face as he all but skipped back to the house. 

“Banner’s coming.” he had informed Loki, his cheeks flushed slightly in a way that made Loki’s stomach turn. 

“I know.” he had replied waspishly, folding his arms tighter and hunching forward slightly when Thor did not so much as blink at his sour response. “Not that he knows anything about fishing or boatmanship. Nonetheless, congratulations.” 

“Because you know so much about such matters.” Thor had laughed. 

“More than he.” Loki had countered immediately, feeling his shoulders bristle slightly before he could stop them. 

“Sure.” Thor nodded with an exaggerated frown, before he brightened slightly and turned on his heel to reenter the house. “I guess I’ll just have to take your word for it?” 

“Or you’ll see for yourself.” Loki muttered, before turning to stride out of the house and into the village. 

Not that he had anything to do outside the house, particularly, other than avoid Thor’s almost gleeful expression. 

“You’re coming, then?” he had inquired, before Loki could quite disappear, and though Loki did not turn, he could almost sense the expression of smugness that would have been pasted onto Thor’s face. 

“If you do not manage to overturn the boat.” Loki had replied, tetchily. “It’s hardly big enough for the three of us, as it is.” 

Which, of course, was only minutes before the Valkyrie had showed up and offered to come along, leaving the four of them to pile into the small boat, nearly elbow to elbow as they had cast off. 

Which, as it turned out, was not a development that became any more comfortable, as time dragged on. 

“You know he crowed for almost an hour when you agreed to come with us, right?” the Valkyrie was saying, now, keeping her tone mercifully low enough that only Loki could hear it, as she leaned closer. “He wouldn’t stop talking about it.” 

“Gloated, more like.” Loki grumbled, though he could feel a warm surge of hope rise against the bitterness churning within his gut, at the words. 

“He was excited.” the Valkyrie insisted. “You don’t have to be jealous of--” 

“I am _not_ ,” Loki spat, and wheeled around to shoot her a sharp glare. “Jealous.” 

The Valkyrie blinked, before her expression melted into a knowing smirk.

“Right,” she agreed, readily, though she had begun to raise her brows in what could only be described as a disbelieving expression. “Whatever you say, Lackey. You’re very convincing.” 

Before Loki could even begin to formulate a reply, Val had stood, and was crossing the boat to stand at Thor’s elbow, a grin already on her face as Banner continued to speak, his hands gesturing enthusiastically. 

And, however he might deny the Valkyrie’s claim, Loki could not ignore the sharp tightening within his chest as he watched Thor laugh outright at whatever Banner was saying, his head thrown back as his good eye crinkled with the force of his mirth. 

Loki felt himself frown, and crossed his arms over his chest again with a huff. 

There were better ways he could be spending his time, he lamented morosely. He could be working in the gardens, or assisting with New Asgard’s agriculture team, or tackling the frankly staggering amount of paperwork he’d left on the dining room table, that morning. 

Instead, he was stuck here in the middle of the Fjord, his vague nausea caused by the waves rocking their little boat not at all helped by the way Thor continued to direct his attention almost entirely to Banner and, now, the Valkyrie. 

_Stupid_. Loki thought harshly, and fought the urge to simply teleport back to the house, then and there. _Foolish--_

“Lackey!” the Valkyrie’s cry interrupted his increasingly self-deprecating spiral of thought. “Come and see what you can make of this.” 

Loki blinked, drawing himself back to the present moment, and noted with relative disinterest that Thor and Banner were both peering eagerly over the side of the ship. 

“It’s a fish?” Thor was demanding, his tone nearly high pitched in his eagerness. 

“Maybe!” Bruce replied with what was almost an excited huff. “Though I don’t know a lot about Norweigan wildlife. I’ve never seen anything like it! Though--” 

Loki stopped paying attention as Bruce hurried on into some long and drawn out bout of scientific nonsense, and fought the urge to roll his eyes, again, as he turned away. 

“I hardly feel that my input would be beneficial.” he replied, after a moment, with a small tilt of his head. 

“ _Loki!_ ” the Valkyrie and Thor exclaimed simultaneously, though Loki noted dismally that Thor’s attention was drawn almost at once back to where Bruce was continuing to exclaim over whatever creature lay just beneath the surface of the water. 

“Fine.” Loki snapped with a huff, and stood to cross the space to where the others were stood--

Only for the boat to rock violently, once, causing both Bruce and Thor’s eyes to widen in apparent alarm. 

“What--” 

The boat rocked again, and Loki felt his breath still slightly in his lungs as he stumbled a step closer to the waves. 

“Loki,” Thor warned, his brow furrowing slightly as he stretched a hand out in an aborted motion.

Before Loki could so much as inhale a breath to react, he stumbled again, and felt his eyes widen as the meat of his thigh hit the metal side of the boat--

And he toppled into the water below, his lungs seizing mid-breath as the icy water hit him, and immediately began to rush into his nose and mouth. 

“Loki!” Thor’s sharp voice filtered vaguely from somewhere above the surface of the water, and Loki had only a moment to register the way his stomach tightened at the cry, before his vision began to grey out at the edges--

Followed almost immediately by a wave of dizzying blackness. 

\---

When Loki reawoke, he barely had time to register that he was curled up on top of a bed, rather than still sat at the corner of an uncomfortable fishing craft, before he was nearly driven into the wall behind, beneath the force of two strong arms wrapping tightly around his shoulders. 

“You fool.” Thor heaved against the side of his neck, “You damned _fool_.” 

Before he could stop himself, Loki tensed slightly at the sudden contact, though after a moment he allowed himself to raise a hand to pat awkwardly at Thor’s shoulder, which very well may have been trembling beneath his touch. 

“I--” he inhaled, sharply, and winced slightly at the sharp pain he could feel lacing through his lungs at the movement. “I hardly think that I did anything to--to warrant the title.” 

“You--” Thor paused, and nuzzled at the side of Loki’s neck for another moment, before he drew back to level him with a somewhat weak glare. “Loki...You were unconscious for almost twenty minutes.” 

Loki felt himself freeze, and allowed his shoulders to tense almost to his ears as the words registered. 

_Almost twenty minutes,_ Thor had said… 

“What do you remember?” Thor pressed, after another long stretch of silence. 

“Remember?” Loki echoed, blankly, and felt his own brow furrow as he fought to do just that. 

He remembered the boat--remembered the tightness within his chest as he recalled how Thor and Banner had interacted with such unpracticed ease… 

He could also remember the Valkyrie turning sharply to face him, her mouth turning down into a frown as Loki had stumbled. 

Yes, he remembered distantly. He’d stumbled, and--

And afterward? 

Nothing. 

Suppressing a shudder at his momentary lapse of memory, now, Loki turned to offer Thor a small, pale echo of a smile. 

“I remember falling.” he replied, blankly, as if reciting the words out of a long studied tome. “I can remember the waves rocking the boat, before I fell over the edge.” 

He hesitated, then, taking in Thor’s somewhat stricken expression, before he forced himself to huff a humorless laugh. 

“Then, nothing.” he huffed, again, “Stupid.” 

“No!” Thor all but choked out, and immediately surged forward to grasp at Loki’s shoulders with both hands. 

And, even if Loki had tried, he could not have stopped himself from flinching, slightly, at the sudden movement. 

“You--” Thor cut himself off, then, and turned away, his eye fluttering shut as he breathed in sharply through his nose for another long moment.

“Loki.” Thor spoke softly, now, almost as if he was afraid that too harsh a response would shatter the tremulous silence that had begun to spread out between them, like a stain upon a garment. “You--you were nearly insensible. Coughing up water and--”

He inhaled sharply, again, and Loki feared briefly that he would have to extend the effort to comfort Thor himself, before his brother turned to shoot Loki a weak smile. 

“We thought you lost.” he admitted, after a beat, his good eye glimmering suspiciously, now. “I--Bruce. He fought valiantly to expel the liquid from your lungs--” 

And, in spite of himself--

In spite of the sharp, almost terrifyingly incapacitating relief Loki could feel at his having been here at all, rather than currently sinking to the bottom of the Fjord…

In spite of all this, Loki could not have helped the small surge of irritation he could feel rising within his chest at the words, even if he had tried. 

“I’m sure.” he replied, somewhat shortly, and allowed his gaze to drift to settle on a spot over Thor’s shoulder--

If only to avoid his brother’s somewhat crestfallen expression. 

“I--Loki.” Thor continued, after a beat, and extended a hand. 

“I think that I’d like to be alone, now.” Loki interrupted, just as Thor’s fingers brushed at the very edge of his shoulder, and attempted to inhale another breath past the sharp pain taking up residence within his lungs, now.

“Please.”

Thor blinked, and Loki dimly registered his features twisting, somewhat, before he nodded curtly, once, and stood in order to fall back a step from the bedside. 

“Alright.” Thor croaked, and nodded slightly, again. “I--Let me know if you need anything.” 

Before Loki could so much as open his mouth to reply, Thor had turned on his heel and exited the room, his features smoothing into a cool and indifferent mask even as he disappeared around the corner, and from Loki’s view entirely. 

And, even as his stomach turned slightly, Loki watched him go, allowing himself to swallow past the guilt he could feel rising at the back of his throat for another moment, before he fell back against the pillows behind with a small exhale. 

He allowed his eyes to drift slowly shut, then, and exhaled another soft, tremulous breath. 

It was only as sleep was beginning to fog at the corners of his consciousness that Loki realized that it was Thor’s bed he was currently curled atop, and he had to swallow past another mighty surge of guilt before he could convince himself to drift off into blissful unconsciousness.

If only for now. 

\---

The distant memory of the sound of splashing awoke Thor, and he jolted upright before all but collapsing forward, his hands already rising to cradle his temples as he fought to breathe past the sounds--

Past the memory of Loki falling forward into the cool, clear waters of the Fjord, his expression smoothing into shock as his eyes briefly met Thor’s… 

With a grunt, Thor stood and stumbled off of the sofa, his breaths beginning to leave him in short, sharp exhales as he fought to dismiss the memory of Loki’s desperate expression--

Loki’s breath bubbling just beneath the surface of the crystalline waves as he had begun to sink… 

Loki, back on the ship by Thor’s hand, coughing out water mingled with thick, yellow mucus onto the wooden floorboards below as he heaved in an effort to regain his breath… 

Thor gasped another short, sharp inhale, and reached up to run both his trembling hands over his face as he continued to attempt to get his own breathing back under control.

Loki, gasping on the floor of the boat… 

_Stop_. 

Loki, limp against his shoulder as Thor had hefted him up to cradle him closer… 

_Stop!_

Thor allowed himself to stumble back against the far wall, now, his hands clenching into tight fists even as he fought to control the reaction. 

It was fine, he reminded himself, even as a sharp, wheezing exhale all but shuddered out from his lungs. 

Loki was _fine_. Still, as far as Thor knew, curled beneath at least three thick blankets on Thor’s bed. 

There was no reason for Thor’s breath to be leaving him as desperately as it was, now. 

There was certainly no reason for the way his blood had begun to continue to chill, the longer he was awake. 

“Loki.” he whimpered, and allowed himself a moment to bury his face within the palm of his left hand. 

There was _absolutely_ no reason for the fear he could feel slowly beginning to tighten the bands around his lungs, now. 

And yet… 

From the direction of the bedroom came the sound of someone wheezing, before a series of coughs echoed in the otherwise emptiness of the house. 

Immediately, Thor felt himself tense at the sound, and he hesitated only a moment before taking a tentative step toward the cracked doorway to his bedroom. 

_Loki_ , he wanted to call, though he found that the words had immediately begun to dry within his lungs. 

_Are you alright?_

He hesitated another moment just outside the door to the bedroom, then, his breaths continuing to leave him in short and shallow pants as he listened for any sound of disturbance within the room. 

And, even when there was no sound forthcoming, Thor found himself hesitant to withdraw, his arms already stretching out to push the door before him open--

It had been _hours_ , he reminded himself, sharply. And Loki had clearly begun to improve, even going so far as to fall into what had been, arguably, his most restful sleep in months. 

And yet… 

And yet, Thor could not bring himself to ignore the glimmer of discomfort he could feel beginning to flutter within his chest, the longer he was awake, even if he had tried. 

Still, he forced himself to turn on his heel, and grit his teeth against the unpleasant sensation he could feel beginning to rise at the back of his throat--

Only to freeze, his breath stilling within his lungs as he dimly registered the sound of someone wheezing--struggling for breath, at the back corner of the bedroom. 

“Loki,” Thor whispered, and stumbled another step further toward the bedroom. 

The distant sound of someone gagging echoed, then, followed by a trembling inhale. 

Then--

“ _Thor_ ,” 

Immediately, Thor fell forward, and was already stumbling through the doorway into the far bedroom as he cried, “Loki! I--” 

The words died within his throat, then, as his gaze fell to where Loki was laid out, curled atop the covers on the bed, one hand scrabbling at his chest as his eyes fairly bulged out of his skull, his face paling dramatically as he heaved for breath. 

Immediately, Thor felt his throat tighten, and he fought the urge to simply fall to the floor below in his shock. 

“ _Loki!_ ” 

\---

He was being smothered. 

Loki attempted another inhale, only for a thick, bulging hand to stuff itself down his throat and attempt to force more thick cotton into his lungs. 

“Please--” he attempted to whisper, only to choke on the thick, unyielding fibers stringing down to canal of his throat. 

_Please_. 

From somewhere just beyond his awareness, Loki could just make out the sound of someone calling his name, almost demandingly, and he bit back the sob that wanted to rise as he continued to fight for breath. 

_‘You think you know pain?’_

_No_ , Loki wanted to snap, though he could only manage another, sharp inhale, before he collapsed into a series of harsh coughs, each inhale that followed feeling as if a series of knives were being driven into the space between his lungs. 

_‘He will make you long for something…’_

_Stop_. 

_‘As **sweet** as pain.’_

“ _No!_ ” Loki cried and, before he could realize exactly what was happening, he was toppling forward, and could not stifle a small cry at the sensation of weightlessness--of _falling--_

Even as he curled up on his side with a weak, trembling exhale. 

“N--No…” 

_‘No barren moon…’_

“ _NO!”_

\---

“ _Loki!_ ” 

Thor surged forward, then, and allowed himself to gather Loki’s limp figure into his arms, even as his brother continued to gag and cough weakly within his hold. 

It had been nearly an hour since Loki’s initia, weak cry of his name, and yet Thor still had not succeeded in his attempts to rouse his brother fully, even as he had phoned Bruce to frantically explain what was happening. 

“What’s _wrong_ with him?” Thor demanded, now, swallowing past the hysteria that threatened to bubble within his chest.

“He, uh--” Bruce hesitated, hovering briefly over Thor’s shoulder before he moved to perch on the very edge of the mattress at Loki’s side, the bags beneath his eyes stark in the early morning light that had begun to filter in through the window just above. 

“I think that he might be drowning.” 

Thor froze, and allowed his arms to tighten around Loki’s limp shoulders, before he turned to give Bruce an incredulous look. 

“What?” 

“I know it sounds crazy.” Bruce replied, at once, only to trail off when Loki began to shudder and, not long after, heave for breath again, within Thor’s hold. “But there’s--there’s a phenomenon…” 

The sound of Loki gagging sharply interrupted the words, and Thor had only a moment to tense, before his brother was curling forward, something like a thin mucus beginning to leak out the corner of his mouth as he began to jerk against Thor’s shoulder. 

“Banner!” Thor cried, and tugged sharply so that he could all but cradle Loki’s spasming form in his lap. “What is this?” 

“There--there’s fluid in his lungs!” Banner replied, his voice remaining almost infuriatingly calm, even as his hand visibly trembled as he extended it to rest gently against the side of Loki’s neck. 

And, in spite of the circumstances, Thor fought the urge to draw his brother roughly away from the touch. 

“How is that possible?” he demanded, instead. “He--he’s not been in the water for hours.” 

“I know.” Bruce agreed with a small nod. “But I think that some water stayed in his lungs, and his larynx is spasming as a result. He…” 

Banner trailed off again, and something like fear briefly crossed his features, before he turned to level Thor with an almost stern expression. 

“Thor.” he continued, after a beat. “We need to get the fluid out of his lungs. Can you--” 

Immediately, Thor caught on to the insinuation behind the words, though the realization was accompanied almost simultaneously by a chill running down his spine. 

“I--” he faltered, briefly. “I do not know--” 

“Thor.” Banner interrupted, his tone held firmer than Thor could remember having heard it in a long, long while. 

He took a step back, then, leaving at least four feet of space between himself and where Thor was still sat at the edge of the mattress. 

“He needs you.” 

Thor felt something within himself still at the words, and he nodded sharply, once, before turning his attention back to where Loki was continuing to heave for breath against his shoulder. 

“Hey, Loki.” he whispered, lowly, and allowed himself to offer a small, encouraging smile as he peered down at Loki’s flushed features. “It--It’s me. It’s Thor.”

If Loki heard him, he gave no indication of having done so, and instead gargled wetly for a moment, before curling up to release a series of wet, rasping coughs. 

“That’s alright.” Thor soothed, swallowing past the panic he could feel attempting to claw its way up at the back of his throat, and raised a hand to automatically begin combing his fingers through Loki’s thick curls, albeit somewhat tremulously. “Just--Get it out. It’s alright.” 

From where he was curled against Thor’s shoulder, Loki released another, choking exhale, and jerked weakly within Thor’s hold. 

And, even as he felt himself choke on a sob of his own, Thor forced himself to continue smiling encouragingly. 

“Shh.” he whispered, and leaned down to press his lips tightly to Loki’s sweat damp forehead. “Shh shhhh. It’s alright, Lo. _Breathe_.” 

Banner, from where he was still stood at the corner of the room, released a small noise, though Thor forced himself to ignore it in favor of pressing another, firm kiss to Loki’s temple, before he began to rock his brother steadily. 

“Please, Loki.” he whispered, and held out only a moment longer before he fell forward to bury his face into the side of Loki’s neck. “Brother...Please breathe. It’s alright. It’s _okay!_ Just--Just breathe. In and out, with me.” 

Thor forced himself to inhale a steady breath past the tight bands around his lungs, and tugged his brother closer so that Loki’s chest was all but flush with his own. 

“And out…” he breathed, before exhaling a long, trembling breath.

“With me…” 

Another inhale. 

“Please, Loki.” 

Loki gagged audibly.

_Exhale_. 

Loki’s legs kicked out desperately against Thor’s own. 

_Inhale_.

“For me.” 

_Exhale_. 

There was a beat, before Loki stilled, and Thor had only a moment to register what was happening, before he turned to face where Bruce was still stood with his own, wide eyed gaze. 

“Banner!” 

Loki kicked weakly again, before he surged forward, and Bruce appeared at his elbow not a second too late--

Before Loki was coughing up a tremendous amount of fluid into the wastebasket held tightly in Bruce’s grip. 

“Shh.” Thor soothed immediately, when Loki barked something that was almost undeniably a sob, and reached out with his free hand to gather his brother’s limp curls behind his head. “Shh. That’s alright.” 

If anything, Loki only released another, sharper sob at the words, before he curled forward and continued to retch miserably, only thin bile leaving his mouth, now. 

“Hey,” Banner spoke, before Thor could continue his comforting mantra, and reached out, hesitating only a moment before his hand fell forward to run soothingly up and down Loki’s shoulder and upper arm. 

“You’re okay.” he murmured, and glanced up briefly to shoot Thor a warm smile. “It’s okay.” 

Loki retched once more, and gagged, weakly, before he fell limp into Thor’s arms, his breaths leaving him in short, trembling pants, now. 

“Th--Thor?” he whispered, after a moment, his gaze remaining distant and somewhat unfocussed. 

“I’m here.” Thor replied, and allowed himself to hesitate only a moment before he leaned forward to scoop Loki up, and settled him as gently as possible against his own shoulder. “It’s alright. I’m here.” 

And, under the circumstances, Loki only tensed briefly before he all but melted into Thor’s side, already turning to nuzzle his face into Thor’s neck and inhaling deeply. 

“What--” Loki’s breath hitched audibly, and he shifted to curl closer with a small grimace. “What--” 

He trailed off, though Thor felt his stomach twist at the wetness he could feel beginning to spread at the space between his neck and shoulder as Loki audibly fought to get his breathing under control. 

“I--I’ll just…” Bruce trailed off, and turned to nod to Thor before he stood. “I’ll get him some water.” 

The words were quiet, spoken so lowly Thor could hardly make them out, yet he felt Loki stiffen at his side even as Bruce turned to hastily exited the room. 

Silence stretched out between them, then, though Thor allowed his hand to tighten automatically around Loki’s shoulder, when he felt his brother continue to struggle for breath against his side. 

“Are you alright?” Thor inquired, at length, and tugged gently at the end of Loki’s hair with the hand that had previously been combing through his curls. “Can you breathe?” 

“I--” Loki began, and managed to shoot a hesitant glance upward, before his expression crumpled, and he turned his face hastily back into Thor’s shoulder. “I--” 

“Shh.” Thor hushed, at once, and automatically began to rock his brother again as Loki’s trembling increased. “That’s alright. You don’t have to talk.” 

He moved the hand not still tangled in the curls at the back of Loki’s head to stroke firmly down his spine, and noted how Loki shuddered mightily beneath the touch. 

“It’s alright.” he soothed, and turned to brush his lips gently over the clammy skin at Loki’s temple. 

Immediately, Loki surged forward to curl ever closer, and released something like a sharp whimper at the touch. 

“Hush.” Thor commanded, gently, and moved to nuzzle his nose into the curls at the crown of Loki’s head as his brother automatically stilled against him at the words. 

“Thank you.” Loki breathed, after another brief period of silence, and Thor could not have helped the small smile breaking out onto his face if he had tried. 

“Of course, brother.” he murmured, and tightened his grip around Loki’s shoulders when he felt his brother release a short gust of an exhale against his collar, his hands tightening into the fabric of Thor’s flannel at the waist. 

“Of course.” 

**Author's Note:**

> me, falling asleep at 8pm every night: i can't do this.   
> me, three hours later, pounding out yet another gratuitous, over the top comfort scene: i have so much to offer the world
> 
> (hmu at my tumblr [here](http://littlekinng.tumblr.com), where i just continue to be this dumb).


End file.
